Santa Fe authorities found multiple love notes Gene Hackman had written his wife, Betsy Arakawa, before their shocking demise. Almost two months after their bodies were found in their New Mexico home, police released a series of documents and photos of their home, including snaps of the sweet notes. In one note, Hackman seemed appreciative of Arakawa helping him prepare her own birthday dinner.
“Good morning,” the note read. “Happy several days after your birthday. Sorry still about the dinner and having to ask for your help, although it was appreciated.”
“Love you and the guys, G.”
In a second note, he called her a “lovely girl” and said he was “thinking of [her] and the other little guys” before signing off with his love.
Hackman, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s at the time of his death, seemingly knew he was battling the debilitating disease and wrote about it in a third note.
“Ho, Ho, I am off to see the Wizard, the Wizz of Achie, Pokie,” he wrote. “She stabs me here and stabs me there, she stabs me almost everywhere (almost).
“But I survive because after [sic] I am still alive. [But some times just barely],” he added. “Love, G.”
In a more playful letter, the “Behind Enemy Lines” star appeared to be letting Arakawa know he was heading out for an errand.
“I’m going down to that building out past the hot water place where you sit, and do whatever it is that people are supposed to do in such a building – maybe I’ll remember once I get down there,” he wrote.
However, unlike the others, he concluded his note with, “Love, what’s his name.”
The note-writing seemed to be mutual as authorities also discovered the classical pianist had left her husband of 34 years one of her own that read, “Hi G! Taking Zin to obedience class & the vet appt. See you back at home! There is jigsaw puzzle on the table. xo B.”
In several other notes, Arakawa seemed to keep Hackman informed of her every move, detailing in one that she was going to be away for a yoga class and explaining that a maintenance person would be “working” in the property to fix a water leak.
Among some of the documents released on Tuesday, which had originally been withheld to protect the couple’s privacy, were Arakawa’s internet searches.
According to an incident report obtained Tuesday by Page Six, investigators found that Arakawa had conducted an internet search for “breathing techniques” and had sent out an email on Feb. 11, 2025, where she detailed that Hackman had woken up “with fl/cold-ike symptoms.” Investigators also discovered Arakawa had “purchased several Boost Oxygen canisters” via Amazon that same day. It’s believed she died on Feb. 12, and her cause was determined to be hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare but potentially life-threatening viral illness transmitted to humans from the infected urine, droppings or saliva of certain species of rats and mice. She was 65. According to the incident report, the New Mexico Department of Health found live rodent traps on the reclusive couple’s property, and rodent feces were discovered “in all three garages as well as in both casitas.”
Surprisingly, the actor tested negative for the virus, and his cause of death was determined to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease being a significant contributory factor. He was 95. Hackman probably died on Feb. 18 as it is the last day his pacemaker last showed signs of activity. It’s believed Hackman was alone with his dead wife for about a week. Their partially mummified bodies — as well as that of one of their dogs — were found in different rooms of their severely cluttered home on Feb. 25.
